This article looks at the Yokohama AVID S34 tire to help decide if this tire is right for your vehicle.
We have thoroughly researched the Yokohama AVID S34 to take a deeper look at the manufacturer’s specifications and researched the quality of which this tire is made, then compared it to how customers felt the tires performed in their experiences.
Don’t have time to read everything? Here’s a quick summary of our review as well as pros & cons listed.
Conclusion:
Based on our research, we can conclude that the Yokohama AVID S34 tire is average at best when it comes to O.E tires.
From the data that we have gathered for this review, it is suggested that this tire will serve drivers best on dry pavement, and to be cautious in wet or slippery terrains. This is an all-season tire that should be adaptable from summer to winter, but the grip, braking, and acceleration in snowfall are inferior to many of its competitors.
Pros
Cons
We have compiled the data into a full-spectrum view of this tire and its performance and broke it into three categories:
- Overview
- Performance Breakdown
- Recommendations & Conclusions
We will be looking at handling, noise, comfort, durability, and price to help you decide if this is the tire for you. This review strives to give you an accurate, unbiased and objective view of what the tire really offers.
So buckle up, and let’s see what the Yokohama AVID S34 is made of.
Yokohama AVID S34 Overview
The Yokohama AVID S34 is a passenger all-season tire. Passenger all-season tires are designed primarily for drivers looking for the basics: a smooth ride, good wear, and decent speed durability rating (typically S or T-speed rated tires).
The Yokohama AVID S34 comes with all-season traction and can work well in light snowfall.
The Yokohama AVID S34 passenger tires have been tagged with the M+S symbol, which indicates that tires intend to be O.E or ‘original equipment.’ O.E. tires come standard on coupes, sedans, family vans, and in some cases, entry-level pickups, crossovers, or SUVs. O.E. tires are traditionally acquired as replacements for worn-out sets (2 or 4) of a car’s initial tire sets otherwise.
Though the Yokohama AVID S34 classifies as an all-season tire, it is best on the pavement rather than off-road or in winter conditions. So if you plan to be driving in snowfall or ice for the majority of the winter season, it might be best to consider a dedicated snow tire.
In its class, the AVID is more affordable than most of its competitors and is designed with a triplex tread compound backed up by a 5-Year warranty, which is impressive for its class.
Performance Breakdown
Now, let’s look at a more comprehensive breakdown of the Yokohama AVID S34 all-season tire.
Performance
Wet
The tire tread blocks design includes tapered rain channels and grooves which work together to pass water without compromising the traction in wet circumstances.
According to customer reviews on TireRack.com, the Yokohama AVID S34 performed worse than expected in wet performance. It also scored averagely in hydroplaning resistance as well as wet tracking. More customers reported that the tires struggled in heavy rain but were fine in light rain.
Dry
Here is where the tire thrives. According to TireRack.com, the Yokohama AVID S34 tested best in dry conditions, especially cornering stability, traction, and steering response.
Yokohama added interchangeable tread blocks to increase the performance of tight corners, steering, and dry traction.
Snow
The Yokohama AVID S34 tested the lowest in snow capabilities. As it is a standard all-season tire, the AVID was not designed for winter conditions beyond a light dusting (which the tire still only performed mediocrely in) and will struggle in the colder months.
Its traction leaves plenty of room for improvement in winter conditions, so it’s better to have a dedicated snow tire if you are driving in heavy snowfall or ice all season.
Braking
According to user reviews, the tires had less than impressive braking distances in rainy and dry conditions.
Some customer reviews indicated that in wet conditions, the tire struggled to stop at a comfortable distance, while others noted that no matter how light the snow was—and how slow and careful their stopping was—their vehicle’s ABS engaged.
Handling
The Yokohama AVID S34 scored averagely in handling.
According to customer reviews, the S34s performed well in turns, but as they began to age, drivers noticed a huge difference in steering response.
Noise and comfort
Noise
The Yokohama AVID S34 scored decently in noise tests. Yet again, once the tire’s tread began to wear, the noise became more of an issue.
Customer reviews often noted how loud the Yokohama AVID S34 was and related it to the hardness of the tire itself.
Comfort
Customer reviews claimed that the comfort of the tire was smooth in the first half of the tire’s lifespan, yet decreased significantly as it aged.
Customers also claimed that steering vibration increased significantly on bumpy roads, despite how old the tire was.
Durability
Yokohama sought to increase this tire’s lifespan with the AVID S34’s design, and they have backed that up with a 5 year / 2/32’’ limited treadwear warranty.
According to TireRack.com, treadwear was one of the tire’s highest-performing areas and is good for an O.E. tire.
User reviews have ranged in this area. Some claim that the tires wore quickly, and when they did, performance decreased significantly. Even more so in non-dry weather.
Price
According to user reviews, the Yokohama AVID S34 is priced well, and is packaged with the name “Yokohama,” it seems like they are a great deal on the shelf.
But some mentioned that this felt like a betrayal of the brand, as they are normally a reliable tire company, and that the tires did not live up to the manufacturer’s reputation. Some claimed they would be moving towards Michelin for their next tire.
For its price, quality and durability, the AVID S34 is not the best choice on the market.
Recommendations & Conclusions
Recommendations
Overall, the Yokohama AVID S34 is an average option for a budget, and there are certainly better options out there if you can spend a little more. We recommend looking at tires such as:
- Falken EUROALL SEASON AS210
- BFGoodrich g Grip All Season 2
- Vredestein Quatrac
- Michelin CrossClimate 2
But if you were to get the AVID S34s, we would also recommend having a dedicated snow tire ready if you plan to run into any Winter weather in the colder months.
Conclusions
Based on our research, we can conclude that the Yokohama AVID S34 tire is average at best when it comes to O.E tires.
From the data that we have gathered for this review, it is suggested that this tire will serve drivers best on dry pavement, and to be cautious in wet or slippery terrains. This is an all-season tire that should be adaptable from summer to winter, but the grip, braking, and acceleration in snowfall are inferior to many of its competitors.
For snowy conditions, you will want to consider a dedicated snow tire. It’s important to take into account that all-season is what this tire is designed for, and won’t be the best buy in any one of the seasons.
After short periods of use, we found that Yokohama AVID S34 has a good steering response and a solid, smooth, and comfortable experience while driving before the tire begins to age. And in its higher miles, the noise increased, and its performance followed as the treads wore.
Overall, the AVID S34 doesn’t outperform tires in its class, but within its price range, it’s a decent option and will provide a satisfactory ride if you just want something basic on your vehicle.